The Heat face a potentially torturous offseason. Each member of the Big Three — James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh — can opt out, or opt in, but without substantial new blood, it will not matter. Their point-guard play was disastrous as starter Mario Chalmers was benched. Their reserve corps was old and slow and no match for the Spurs, who won their fifth title for coach Gregg Popovich and thwarted Miami’s quest for a three-peat.

James did everything but carry the Heat across the finish line. To no avail.

James congratulates Tim Duncan after the Spurs’ 104-87 victory on Sunday night.Getty Images

“LeBron James is a great player. He’s a great competitor. He’s a class act. And I know he’s feeling what we felt last year, and I don’t wish that on anybody,” said Popovich, whose Spurs got revenge in the rematch of the 2013 Finals. “He hangs it out there, and he’s still the best player on the planet.”

But the best player on the planet needs help next season. If the Heat weren’t good enough this time, they certainly won’t be good enough in 2015. Wade looked gassed much of the series.

“Just struggled a little bit,” said Wade. “I’m never going to point at anything physically. I felt fine. I just struggled a little bit offensively. You know, I wish I could have done more, but it’s the nature of the game. Nothing physically at all.”

Except for the physical nature of the Spurs. And the quickness of the Spurs. And the athleticism of the Spurs despite the advanced age of Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili.

James and teammate Udonis Haslem sit in disbelief as Game 5 winds to a close in San Antonio.Getty Images

“I’m not even nowhere near that point,” James said about the Heat lacking what’s needed to bounce back next season. “You know, we went to four straight Finals in four years. We’re not discrediting what we were able to accomplish in these four years. We lost one, we won two, and we lost another one.”

So they’re hitting .500. The Spurs hit like, 1.000.

“Yes, they’re that good. They dominated us this series,” said Bosh. “They played the best basketball I’ve ever seen.”

And so while the Heat tried to digest a bitter loss, inquiring minds made another run at James and asked him if he’d be back in Miami.

“I will deal with my summer when I get to that point. Me and my team will sit down and deal with it. I love Miami. My family loves it. But obviously right now that’s not even what I’m thinking about,” he said. “You guys are trying to find answers. I’m not going to give you one. I’m just not going to give it to you. When I get to that point, I’ll deal with it, and when it gets to that point.”